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The 8 Most Common Mistakes Corporate Social Impact Leaders Make (and how to avoid them)

May 19, 2025 by Mark Horoszowski

Over 60% of corporate social impact projects fail. In this post, we explore how to stop checking boxes and focus on building the programs your company—and the world—really needs.

You Didn’t Take This Job to Play Small

You took this job because you care. Because you believe business has a role to play in solving real-world problems. But somewhere between employee giving campaigns, executive requests, and year-end reporting, it’s easy to find yourself buried in busywork instead of building impact.

And you’re not alone. Corporate social impact leaders are stretched thin, navigating internal politics, external expectations, and shifting global events—often without clear roadmaps or sufficient resources.

But here’s the thing: this moment in time demands more than business as usual. It demands strategy, courage, and a long-term vision.

To meet the moment, make sure to avoid the 8 most common pitfalls we see CSR leaders make:

Mistake #1: Short-Term Thinking That Ignores Long-Term Sustainability

In many organizations, success is measured quarter by quarter, and that pressure often bleeds into CSR work. It can be tempting to prioritize short-term wins—a high-visibility campaign, a fast spike in employee participation, or a press release-worthy event. But when programs are built for momentary impact rather than enduring value, they often fade quickly. Without a strategic roadmap that looks beyond the next fiscal cycle, initiatives become fragmented, team energy gets spread thin, and stakeholders start questioning the program’s value.

Sustainability in CSR isn’t just about the planet—it’s about ensuring your social impact work has the time, buy-in, and structure to grow. Consider setting 3- to 5-year goals with measurable milestones. Frame initiatives as long-term commitments, not one-off experiments. Remember, real change takes time. In fact, a recent analysis found that nearly 60% of CSR initiatives ultimately fail to meet their objectives, largely due to short-term thinking and poor stakeholder engagement.

Mistake #2: Saying Yes to Executive Pet Projects That Lack Strategy

It’s natural to want to support a senior leader’s enthusiasm for a cause, especially when that support might unlock budget or visibility. But when initiatives are built solely on the interests of one executive—without aligning with company-wide strategy or employee values—they risk becoming distractions rather than drivers of impact.

Programs without strategic grounding often lack clarity, sustainability, or measurable outcomes. And when the executive sponsor shifts roles or priorities, these efforts often disappear. Instead, aim to channel executive interest into strategically aligned initiatives. Bring data and insights to the table to show how their passion can connect with existing CSR goals, employee energy, or business outcomes. That way, you harness influence without losing direction. Research from Harvard Business School found that 77% of CSR programs are not aligned with business strategy—highlighting how easy it is to veer off course.

Mistake #3: Failing to Proactively Plan for Inevitable Crises

Crises aren’t rare events anymore—they are part of the operating environment. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a geopolitical shock, or a moment of social unrest, CSR leaders are often looked to as first responders. Unfortunately, many find themselves reacting under pressure because their organizations haven’t invested in proactive planning.

The best time to prepare for crisis response is before the crisis. That means developing playbooks, aligning with legal and communications teams, defining guardrails for political engagement, and outlining decision-making processes in advance. By preparing for the inevitable, you ensure your team can act quickly, responsibly, and with credibility when it matters most. According to a Benevity executive report, nearly half of CSR leaders report being underprepared to respond to emergent crises, citing lack of structure and internal alignment. That means that 1 in 2 corporate social impact leaders will have their plans derailed in the coming year.

Mistake #4: Overemphasizing Days of Service and Giving Campaigns

There’s a rhythm to every company’s CSR program: Earth Day volunteering, Giving Tuesday giving campaign, a year-end match, maybe a volunteer week. These programs are familiar, relatively easy to manage, and often expected by leadership and employees alike. But familiarity can breed complacency. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean it’s moving the needle. In fact, these programs end of taking the majority of your limited time while producing no real impact or business benefit.

When too much time and energy is spent on low-differentiation, low-impact activities, CSR teams often miss opportunities to build deeper engagement and more strategic value. CECP’s 2023 Giving in Numbers report revealed that average employee volunteering participation was just 19.8%—down from 29% in 2019. The implication is clear: these activities, while well-intentioned, often fail to resonate broadly or drive sustained engagement.

That doesn’t mean you should cancel them all. But it does mean you should evaluate them critically: What’s working? What’s not? Are they aligned with your company’s values and long-term goals? Focus on doing fewer things better—and building from there.

Mistake #5: Copying What Worked for Someone Else

It’s tempting to replicate high-profile CSR models. Patagonia’s activism is often referenced as gold standard, but few company’s have such resolute founder support. At one time, every Bay Area company seemed to be copying Salesforce’s 1/1/1 model, only to see it shuttered because of a lack of impact, leaving many CSR leaders to then scramble and build something meaningful.

In one global CSR study, only 13% of professionals said their organization’s CSR strategy was “purpose-driven,” suggesting that many companies adopt initiatives without fully tailoring them to their own mission or identity.

When you try to copy-paste another company’s CSR approach without adapting it to your own context, you often end up with superficial programs that struggle to gain traction. Instead, take time to understand your own company’s unique strengths, challenges, and culture. What issues do your employees care about? What capabilities can your business uniquely contribute? A strong strategy starts from the inside out.

Mistake #6: Designing Programs Without Understanding Employee Behavior

CSR programs are often designed by small teams working in isolation, with the best intentions but limited input. It’s easy to assume what employees will care about or participate in, but assumptions don’t drive engagement—insights do.

Behavioral misalignment leads to underused platforms, flat participation, and wasted resources. To avoid this, treat your employees like stakeholders in product design. Conduct surveys, host listening sessions, and collaborate with ERGs. Pilot new ideas before rolling them out broadly. By co-creating programs with employees AND external partners, you build ownership, increase relevance, and improve results. A Psicosmart study found that up to 60% of CSR programs fail due to a lack of employee engagement and tailored strategy—proof that the “design in a cave” approach is no longer viable.

Mistake #7: Underestimating the Power of Skills-Based Volunteering

When most people think of corporate volunteering, they imagine planting trees or serving food. While these activities can build camaraderie, they often don’t make full use of the talent your employees bring to the table.

Skills-based volunteering allows employees to contribute their professional expertise to causes they care about—whether it’s helping a nonprofit with strategic planning, building a website, or offering pro bono legal advice. It creates more meaningful experiences, deeper community impact, and stronger alignment with business goals like employee development and retention.

Despite its higher ROI, many CSR programs hesitate to invest in skills-based initiatives due to perceived complexity. But with the right partners and planning, these programs are not only achievable—they’re transformative. According to Deloitte, employees who participate in skills-based volunteering are up to 50% more likely to report high levels of job satisfaction and retention—clear business benefits tied to deeper impact.

Mistake #8: Waiting for Executives to Give You a Strategy and Budget

It’s easy to fall into a holding pattern: waiting for clearer guidance from the C-suite, more budget, or alignment from legal. But the reality is that clarity often follows action, not the other way around.

When CSR leaders wait too long for perfect conditions, promising ideas stall. Instead, use what you have to start small. Build pilot programs. Collect data. Share employee stories. Demonstrate value and momentum. These early wins become the foundation for advocating for bigger investments and broader support. According to ACCP’s 2023 survey, over half of CSR professionals say they lack sufficient resources to meet growing expectations—yet the most successful teams are those that use small wins to unlock more support over time.

You don’t need permission to lead. Start by building the case, and the clarity will come.

You’re Not Alone—But You Are the Spark

Corporate social impact work is complex, often thankless, and increasingly urgent. But it’s also one of the most meaningful roles inside any company.

So give yourself time to think. Audit your programs. Identify what matters most.

And then: take bold action.

If you need a thought partner to help you play big, book time with MovingWorlds. We’re here to help you turn potential into impact.

Filed Under: CSR, Skills Based Volunteering Tagged With: Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR

11 Mental Models and Frameworks That Corporate Social Impact Leaders Use to Create Lasting Impact

May 12, 2025 by Mark Horoszowski

Despite their best intentions, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs start with good intentions — but far too many disappear within a few years.

According to Harvard Business School:

📉 77% of CSR programs are not aligned with business goals

❌ Over 60% fail to achieve their stated impact objectives

⚠️ ~81% of employees are NOT engaging in traditional volunteering programs

🛑 The majority get shut down

These failures erode trust, waste resources, and make it harder to advocate for future investments. But there’s a better way.

After speaking with hundreds of corporate social responsibility leaders, and helping scale global programs with our work at MovingWorlds, we’ve found that the most successful CSR leaders rely on a common set of mental models and frameworks to design and scale programs that create impact, engage employees, and deliver lasting business value.

Here are the 11 frameworks and mental models every CSR leader should know

1. Theory of Change

The risk of skipping it: Programs launch based on intuition, not outcomes — and often fail to deliver value to beneficiaries or the business.

Urgency: 60%+ of CSR programs fail to meet goals because they weren’t strategically designed.

Summary of framework: A Theory of Change is a planning tool that maps how your inputs and activities lead to measurable outputs and long-term impact.

What will happen when you use it: You’ll create CSR initiatives that are clearly aligned to business strategy, easier to measure, and more likely to gain support from leadership.

Learn more about Theory of Change.

2. Systems Thinking + Shared Value + Asset-Based Community Development

The risk of skipping it: Corporations act like they’re the hero — ignoring local assets and community knowledge.

Urgency: Programs built in isolation often fail when rolled out globally or across partnerships.

Summary of framework: These combined models help leaders see their company as part of an interdependent ecosystem, and design initiatives that elevate local assets and mutual value.

What will happen when you use it: You’ll unlock stronger relationships, more inclusive innovation, and programs that deliver shared success for all stakeholders.

Learn more about System Thinking and Shared Value

3. Design Thinking

The risk of skipping it: Post-pandemic, 80% of employees don’t engage with CSR programs (CECP).

Urgency: Poor design leads to poor engagement. Low participation = low value.

Summary of framework: Design Thinking is an innovation approach that starts with empathy, defines user needs, and rapidly prototypes solutions for feedback.

What will happen when you use it: Employees will feel heard, participate more, and help you co-create better programs through continuous improvement.

Learn more about Design Thinking

4. Human-Centered Design

The risk of skipping it: Solutions may be innovative but irrelevant to the people they’re meant to serve.

Urgency: Lack of relevance means wasted time, budget, and goodwill.

Summary of framework: Human-Centered Design (HCD) focuses on creating solutions that meet the real needs, values, and contexts of the people most affected.

What will happen when you use it: Your programs will resonate more deeply with the communities you aim to serve and create more lasting, meaningful change.

Learn more about Human-Centered Design

5. ESG Fundamentals and Reporting

The risk of skipping it: You’ll miss alignment with executive, investor, and global priorities.

Urgency: Despite political noise, ESG-aligned investment in climate and inclusion is accelerating. In fact, a new report from Reuters shows the 99% of the largest U.S. companies issued sustainability disclosures, even as mentions of it have dropped by 26%. Greenhushing is for legal and communication teams, but real ESG work is still critical to the CSR role.

Summary of framework: ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) is a performance-based approach to responsible business that aligns impact work with financial outcomes and stakeholder demands.

What will happen when you use it: Your CSR efforts will better align with business priorities and position your work as a driver of long-term corporate success.

Learn more about ESG.

6. ROI Thinking

The risk of skipping it: Leaders won’t fund or prioritize your program.

Urgency:

  • 47% of executives say CSR has “unclear value”
  • 90% of impact leaders say more outcome data would help secure investment (Benevity)

Summary of framework: ROI Thinking applies business-case logic to CSR by connecting social impact outcomes to financial and strategic business benefits.

What will happen when you use it: You’ll gain internal support, sustain your program over time, and confidently advocate for growth.

Learn more about building a CSR ROI calculator

7. Long-Term Thinking

The risk of skipping it: Initiatives turn into short-lived pet projects or PR stunts.

Urgency: Programs based on executive passion fizzle out when that leader leaves.

Summary of framework: Long-term thinking prioritizes sustained value over short-term wins, aligning impact programs with long-range business strategy and culture.

What will happen when you use it: Your programs will survive leadership changes, adapt to evolving priorities, and gain staying power within your organization.

8. Strategic Communication

The risk of skipping it: Programs don’t gain traction internally or externally.

Urgency: If you don’t win hearts and minds across departments, your program stalls.

Summary of framework: Strategic communication is the practice of crafting the right message for the right audience to build alignment, engagement, and action.

What will happen when you use it: Your initiative will gain more champions, avoid misunderstandings, and become easier to scale and celebrate.

Learn more about Communicating CSR.

9. Navigating Naysayers

The risk of skipping it: Your initiative gets blocked by internal resistance.

Urgency: Legal, HR, Finance, and other departments will raise flags — and without a plan, you’ll stall out.

Summary of framework: Navigating naysayers is the strategic practice of anticipating objections and building internal coalitions to remove roadblocks.

What will happen when you use it: You’ll be seen as a pragmatic, cross-functional leader who can move initiatives forward in complex environments.

Learn more about navigating naysayers.

10. Build Partnerships

The risk of skipping it: Your company reinvents the wheel and misses out on deeper impact.

Urgency: CSR done in isolation wastes resources and lacks legitimacy.

Summary of framework: Partnership-building focuses on shared ownership, co-creation, and mutual benefit across sectors and organizations.

What will happen when you use it: You’ll tap into local knowledge, accelerate impact, and amplify your program’s reach through trusted allies.

Learn more about building corporate social impact partnerships.

11. Transformative Volunteering

The risk of skipping it: Your volunteering programs get low involvement and low participation. Your role becomes obsolete.

Urgency: Over 81% of employees don’t like traditional CSR programs. Employees are looking for skills-based volunteering opportunities in growing demand. If you don’t deliver on this, you run the risk of not proving the value of CSR at your company, and worse, you keep valuable resources from contributing to the challenges of our time.

Summary of framework: By designing skills-based volunteering programs that are built on real needs and appeal to the purpose-driven professionals at your organization, you can drastically increase engagement. Transformative means (1) built on real needs; (2) accessible to employees; (3) provides supplemental education; (4) the employee has career and life-aligned goals in the process; (5) employees understand how the work makes a lasting impact; (6) employees have time to reflect and integrate insights back into their life and work; (7) employees are celebrated for efforts of integration.

What will happen when you use it: Social impact partners, employees, managers, and executives alike will become much more engaged in our programs.

Learn more about building transformation corporate volunteering programs.

Conclusion

Most CSR programs fail because they weren’t built with the right foundation. But by adopting these mental models and frameworks, you can design initiatives that:

  • Engage employees and partners
  • Deliver real societal and environmental value
  • Build long-term trust and business advantage

Need help implementing, or simply want to nerd our? Contact us.

Filed Under: CSR, Human-Centered Design, Socially Responsible Business Tagged With: Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR

Podcasts, Influencers, and News You Should Follow if Your Are Working to Create Purposeful and Impact-Driven Organizations

May 6, 2025 by Mark Horoszowski

Curated resources to help you stay inspired, informed, and connected

📝 Bonus: Don’t forget to bookmark the public Google Sheet—a living resource for continual updates and crowd-sourced inspiration.


🎧 Podcasts Worth Your Time

  • Business Fights Poverty – Katie Hyson
  • Impact Boom
  • Behind the Impact Podcast – Jeremy Brown of Social Impact World
  • Better Heroes – EY Ripples
  • Purpose 360 – Carol Cone
  • Social Impact Leader (NPR)
  • Outrage + Optimism – Christiana Figueres, Tom Carnac, Paul Dickinson
  • Small & Gutsy – Laura S. Wittcoff
  • Scaling Impact Capital – Kusi Hornberger
  • Superpowers for Good
  • Design the Future
  • Disruptors for GOOD – Grant Trahant
  • Superpowers for Good – Devin Thorpe

🧠 Follow These Influencers

  • Paul Polman
  • Tim Mohin – ESG & Climate News
  • Jacqueline Novogratz
  • James Militzer
  • Laurie Lane-Zucker
  • Rutger Bregman
  • Raj Kumar (Devex)
  • Bea Boccalandro
  • Andrew Winston
  • Seth Godin
  • Matthew Sekol (The ESG Advocate)
  • Angela Parker and Chris Jarvis of Realized Worth and Realized Worth Institute
  • Devin Thorpe – also podcast & book author
  • Vu Le – Nonprofit AF
  • Dr. François Bonnici – system change and policy thought leader
  • Daniel Nowack
  • Durreen Shahnaz of Impact Investment Exchange (IIX)
  • Ajaita Shah of Frontier Markets
  • Aunnie Patton Power of Adventure Finance

📰 Newsletters & Media Channels

  • Moral Leadership
  • Business Fights Poverty news and events
  • Becoming Net Positive – Paul Polman
  • ImpactAlpha: The Brief – David Bank
  • NextBillion – Scott Anderson & James Militzer
  • Moral Money – Gillian Tett
  • TriplePundit – Mary Mazzoni
  • Causeartist – Grant Trahant
  • Stanford Social Innovation Review
  • World Economic Forum: Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship

🤝 Events, Communities & Media Networks to Plug Into

  • Business Fights Poverty events and community
  • Reuters Sustainable Business – Simon Jessop
  • Work on Climate community
  • SOCAP Global
  • Skoll World Forum
  • Sustainable Brands
  • BSR Conference
  • Social Impact World – Jeremy Brown
  • ACCP – Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals
  • Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship
  • AI for Good – Global AI conference for development
  • Engage for Good – Awards + events on corporate volunteering and giving
  • Social Enterprise World Forum – Policy and ecosystem-building for SEs
  • Pioneers Post – News and awards for social entrepreneurs

💎 Hidden Gems You Might’ve Missed

  • Good Work – Dan Toomey
  • Fast Company and its World Changing Awards

🔗 Bookmark the Current List

📊 Google Sheet – Living Resource


🙌 Final Thought: We Need Each Other

Solving climate, equity, and systemic challenges requires new narratives, better collaborations, and trusted information. This guide is just one way to help us all stay better connected—across roles, sectors, and borders.

And if you’re looking to go even deeper, subscribe to the MovingWorlds Blog—where we write about the intersection of corporate impact, social enterprise, and skills-based volunteering.

Filed Under: CSR, Social Impact News Tagged With: Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, Social Enterprise

Corporate Skills-Based Volunteering: Purpose Without the Politics

April 24, 2025 by Mark Horoszowski

Even in uncertain times, one powerful CSR strategy gaining traction is skills-based volunteering (SBV) – programs that enable employees to volunteer their professional skills to nonprofits and community initiatives.

Unlike public political stances or polarizing ad campaigns, SBV programs are widely accepted and apolitical. They allow companies to do good in a neutral, business-aligned way, leveraging what your business does best (the skills of your people) to help communities – all while sidestepping partisan minefields.

Crucially, skills-based volunteering aligns with core business objectives: it doubles as employee training and engagement, fosters leadership development, and enhances the company’s reputation in a genuine manner. It’s no wonder that in the UK roughly 73% of companies now offer skills-based employee volunteering programs. Senior leadership often embraces these initiatives because the benefits are tangible and directly tied to the company’s success, not just “feel-good” add-ons.

Examples of Successful Skills-Based Volunteering Programs:

  • SAP – Acceleration Collective: Enterprise software leader SAP sponsors employees to volunteer virtually or in-person with social innovators. SAP has recognized that beyond creating an impact and uncovering market opportunities, this program has become a leadership development engine. Participants develop “skills like emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, cohesive collaboration, and adaptive thinking – all of which are needed by leaders of today and tomorrow”. By solving real challenges for nonprofits and social enterprises, SAP employees grow as purpose-driven leaders while the company strengthens its talent for the future.
  • EY – Ripples Program: Big Four firm Ernst & Young (EY) runs EY Ripples, a global SBV platform mobilizing its professionals to support impact entrepreneurs, educational initiatives, and environmental projects. EY has set a bold vision of positively impacting 1 billion lives by 2030 through this collaborative effort. In practice, EY Ripples facilitates projects where employees coach and/or educate nonprofits and impact startups around the world. The company reports that these efforts not only benefit society but also drive employee loyalty – in one survey, 86% of employees said companies with effective volunteer programs are more likely to earn their loyalty, and 82% said such programs influence their decision to stay.
  • F5 – Volunteer Sprint: Security and cloud services company F5 networks has proven that even mid-sized firms can achieve outsized impact with skills-based volunteering. In 2023, F5 launched a “Volunteer Sprint” program that offers employees up to two weeks of paid time to virtually volunteer their skills with nonprofit partners. Notably, this initiative has backing from the very top – F5’s CEO, François Locoh-Donou, personally sponsored and championed the program’s design. The Global Good team at F5 structured Volunteer Sprints as a direct response to nonprofit needs (e.g. data analysis, marketing strategy) and to employees’ “deep desire to serve” the communities where they live. The result has been a “win-win”: nonprofits get critical expertise, while employees gain cross-sector experience and pride in their company. F5’s example shows how framing volunteering as an extension of employees’ professional identities can ignite engagement at all levels – “standing shoulder to shoulder with executives at a volunteer site makes the program feel more authentic,” as one HR specialist observed.

Business Benefits: ROI on Skills-Based Volunteering

Skills-based volunteering doesn’t just “feel good” – it delivers measurable returns for companies. Consider the following benefits, supported by data:

  • Higher Employee Engagement and Retention: Employees who participate in workplace volunteer programs are far more likely to be engaged and to stay. One global study found 79% of employees who volunteer through work are satisfied with their job, versus only 55% among those who don’t volunteer. Volunteer participants also tend to stay with the company longer; studies have shown they are 52% less likely to leave, significantly reducing turnover costs. In fact, offering volunteer time off has been linked to a 50% reduction in turnover and boosts in productivity by 13%. It’s clear that investing in employees’ altruistic passions can pay off in a more committed, motivated workforce.
  • Skill Development and Leadership Growth: Volunteering is a proven driver of professional development. 76% of people say they have developed core work skills through volunteering opportunities. These assignments often stretch employees in new ways – honing skills like project management, communication across cultures, and creative problem-solving – which they bring back to their day jobs. 92% of HR executives believe that contributing time to nonprofits helps employees develop leadership skills. Companies like SAP explicitly use skills-based volunteering to groom future leaders, finding that 74% of participants gained new perspectives and confidence that advanced their careers. In short, SBV doubles as a hands-on training program, building competencies that formal training can struggle to impart.
  • Boosted Morale and Well-Being: Enabling employees to give back improves workplace morale and personal well-being. 70% of corporate volunteers believe that volunteerism boosts workplace morale more than company social events. After 12 months of regular volunteering, 93% of employees report feeling better and less stressed – meaning lower burnout and absenteeism for the employer. Especially in high-pressure corporate environments, volunteering can provide employees a sense of balance and fulfillment, leading to a happier, healthier team.
  • Enhanced Brand Reputation and Recruitment: A strong community engagement program burnishes your brand’s image to both outsiders and potential hires. 89% of Americans believe companies that sponsor volunteer activities offer a better overall workplace environment, and many proactively seek out employers known for good corporate citizenship. From a consumer standpoint, companies that genuinely invest in communities earn greater trust and goodwill. Internally, volunteering is a magnet for talent – top candidates, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are drawn to companies with a reputation for purpose. Offering skills-based volunteering gives you a recruiting edge by signaling that your company walks the talk on values. As an executive at Points of Light put it, “It’s not just nice-to-have – our volunteer program has become a strategic asset for culture and brand.”

Gaining Executive Buy-In Through Alignment

In today’s environment, CSR leaders must speak the language of the business. The hesitancy we see (“Is this going to be viewed as too woke?”) often stems from a fear that social impact initiatives will detract from the bottom line or incite controversy. The solution is to design CSR strategies that are both impactful and clearly tied to business priorities, then communicate that alignment to leadership. The rise of skills-based volunteering exemplifies this approach. Rather than pitching a standalone charity effort, CSR teams can highlight how an SBV program will help attract talent, develop employees, drive innovation, and strengthen the company’s network in emerging markets – all goals any CEO or CFO can get behind. It’s telling that among senior leaders who plan to increase CSR investment, 43% are doing so because they see direct business ROI, and 31% specifically to gain an edge in talent acquisition. Framing volunteering and CSR in terms of ROI, talent retention, consumer preference, and risk management converts it from a “nice-to-have” to a strategic necessity.

Equally important is addressing the fear factor head-on with evidence. Executives wary of external backlash can take comfort in the fact that employee volunteerism is positively received across the political spectrum – it’s hard to argue with feeding the hungry, mentoring students, or lending expertise to nonprofits. These programs generate goodwill without inviting Twitter storms. And by focusing on causes that dovetail with the company’s mission (for example, a tech firm’s employees volunteering in STEM education), CSR leaders can reinforce the brand’s core narrative while doing social good. This business-aligned approach to CSR creates a virtuous cycle: it earns internal support from the C-suite and board because it advances company goals, and it earns external support because it addresses real community needs in a credible way.

Moving Beyond Fear: Purpose as a Performance Driver

Now is the time for CSR leaders to move past the paralysis of “woke backlash” fears. Yes, the scrutiny is real – but so is the cost of inaction. Employees are imploring their companies to give them purposeful ways to contribute, and they won’t wait around forever. The data is unequivocal that thoughtfully executed CSR yields dividends in employee engagement, innovation, and brand loyalty. Companies like Unilever may have learned that not every brand needs a grand social mission, but even Unilever’s new direction emphasizes selective purpose, not abandoning it – focusing on initiatives (like Dove’s “Real Beauty” or Ben & Jerry’s advocacy) that authentically fit the brand and resonate with customers. In the same vein, CSR leaders should double down on programs that make sense for their business’s unique context.

Purpose-driven work and profit are not mutually exclusive; on the contrary, when done right, they fuel each other. The current corporate climate rewards those who lead with courage and clarity: choosing social investments that align with company values and stakeholder interests, measuring the outcomes, and communicating the wins. As the Executive CSR Report 2025 shows, a significant majority of companies are not retreating but recalibrating – 76% are maintaining or boosting their CSR budgets despite the noise. They are prioritizing areas like employee volunteering and ethical business practices where impact and business strategy intersect. This is a roadmap for moving forward.

In your next strategy meeting, armed with this research, make the case that CSR is a risk mitigator and value creator. Share how skills-based volunteering can energize your workforce, build goodwill, and drive real ROI – all while steering clear of unnecessary controversy. Encourage executives to see that supporting purpose-driven engagement isn’t about appeasing a trend; it’s about unleashing the full potential of your people and securing the company’s long-term relevance. By embracing purpose with pragmatism, CSR leaders can help their organizations not only survive tumultuous times, but emerge stronger – with employees, customers, and communities all pulling together. It’s time to lead beyond fear and harness the power of purpose as a performance driver for the business.

Whether you are looking for data, brainstorming, or an implementing partner, we hope you’ll reach out to us!




AI disclaimer: Following our AI Ethics policy, we disclose when we use AI. This post was written with the help of an AI chatbot that we trained with our research, brand voice, and other rules. The content strategy was first written by MovingWorlds, inputted into AI with instructions to match our brand voice and readability, and then the post was proofread and finalized by a real human.

Filed Under: CSR, Skills Based Volunteering Tagged With: Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, skills-based volunteering

How to Help Employees Find Purpose—When Everything Feels Broken

April 9, 2025 by Mark Horoszowski

If you’re a CSR leader at a global company right now, you’re probably feeling two things at once:

  • The personal weight of a world in crisis—from climate disasters to humanitarian emergencies to systemic inequities.
  • The professional pressure to mobilize your workforce to do something about it.

The tension is real.

You want to launch meaningful programs, but you’re navigating budget scrutiny, legal caution, and employee burnout. You want to inspire your colleagues to act, but they, too, are overwhelmed. And it begs the question: How do you lead people toward purpose when they’re not sure where to begin?

Employees Are Ready—They Just Need a Clear First Step

Here’s what we know from the latest data:

  • 95% of employees care about their employer’s community impact.
  • 87% say volunteer opportunities influence their decision to stay.
  • 91% report that participating in skills-based projects boosts morale, cross-team collaboration, and overall fulfillment.

The desire to help is not the problem. The challenge is choice overload and lack of clarity.

When people feel helpless, they don’t need a long list of opportunities—they need a simple onramp. Something close to home. Something they can say yes to.

And that’s where you come in.

Create a Framework for Action: Start Where They Are

We often say that to make a difference, you have to “start where you are.“

As a CSR leader, your opportunity is to help others do exactly that:

  1. Start with existing passions. Encourage employees to volunteer for the causes they care most deeply about.
  2. Encourage them to use their skills. There are so many causes, projects, and asks for time. Help your employees filter through the noise by presenting them guidance on how to use their skills.
  3. Build “surround sound” support. Work through managers, executives, and company leaders to continue to promote the idea that volunteering is something your company absolutely encourages employees do do (here’s tips on how).
  4. Champion action. Recognize your employees that take any step. Celebrate people that contribute, regardless of the size of their effort.
  5. Connect them to community. Encourage employees to consider volunteering with the groups they’re already part of—their team at work, an ERG, a cohort from their last leadership experience, etc.

The right skills-based volunteering software can help, but you can also start small simply by hosting office hours, sharing guides with employees, or manually matching people when they reach out.

Why Skills-Based Volunteering Works Right Now

In a world full of uncertainty, skills-based volunteering (SBV) offers clarity. It’s:

  • Relevant: Employees get to use the skills they’re proud of to support causes they care about.
  • Strategic: Companies see benefits in retention, engagement, and leadership development.
  • Impactful: Social enterprises and nonprofits gain access to expertise they can’t afford.
  • Safe: It’s apolitical, scalable, and legally sound.

Just look at the numbers:

  • 77% of companies reported an increase in employee volunteerism compared to the previous year—up from 61% seeing growth the year prior.
  • Companies with SBV programs see 52% lower turnover among engaged employees.
  • 90% of firms say SBV builds leadership and soft skills.
  • 87% of nonprofits report better service delivery after SBV engagements.
  • 80% of social innovators say they need more skilled support to scale.

When done well, skills-based volunteering becomes more than a feel-good initiative—it’s a flywheel that powers employee purpose, business strategy, and community impact.

Help Your Employees “Be the Change”

In our work with CSR leaders across sectors, we’ve seen one truth emerge over and over: Employees don’t need to be told what to care about. They need access and tools to act on what they already care about.

This means your role isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to design the system that makes it simple for employees to engage:

  • Make it easier to get manager support to take time to volunteer.
  • Spotlight people that mobilize their peers to engage in skills-based work.
  • Offer toolkits for skills-based volunteering.
  • Encourage people to overcome “imposter syndrome”.
  • Create channels to help employees more easily find and match with skills-based volunteering projects.

The more you can shift your programs from “top-down participation” to “bottom-up empowerment,” the more sustainable they become.

Purpose Is a Practice, Not a Policy

We don’t have to solve everything right now. But we do have to move.

CSR leaders have a rare opportunity in this moment—to harness the energy, skills, and compassion that already exist inside their organizations and guide them toward action.

Start small. Start with community. Start where people already are.

And if you need help designing a skills-based volunteering program that meets this moment—MovingWorlds can help.

Because even in a complicated world, purpose is still possible. And it scales best when we build it together.




AI disclaimer: Following our AI Ethics policy, we disclose when we use AI. This post was written with the help of an AI chatbot that we trained with our research, brand voice, and other rules. The content strategy was first written by MovingWorlds, inputted into AI with instructions to match our brand voice and readability, and then the post was proofread and finalized by a real human.

Filed Under: CSR, Skills Based Volunteering Tagged With: Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, skills-based volunteering

Why Employees Want Skills-Based Volunteering—Especially Now

April 2, 2025 by Mark Horoszowski

2025 is a complex year. CSR leaders are under pressure to demonstrate impact, reduce risk, and manage programs that are both purpose-driven and politically neutral. At the same time, there’s a growing awareness that employees are craving more than just a paycheck—they’re looking for meaning. The world is uncertain, but one thing remains true: people want to feel useful. They want to grow. And they want to contribute.

And this includes executives. A survey of executives found that 76% plan to increase spending on CSR programming, though the branding and positioning is likely to be malleable to avoid political and media backlash.

This is where skills-based volunteering (SBV) enters the picture. It’s not a buzzword, and it’s not just a trend—it’s an opportunity. For companies navigating tight budgets, risk-averse leadership, and increased employee disengagement, skills-based volunteering offers a way forward that benefits people, business, and society.

Purpose Isn’t a Trend—It’s an Expectation

Employees are no longer satisfied with symbolic volunteering opportunities or performative purpose statements. According to Deloitte’s 2025 workforce sentiment report, 95% of employees said it’s important that their employer makes a positive impact in the community. And more than 87% say company-sponsored volunteer programs influence their decision to stay. Anecdotally, in the programs we run at MovingWorlds, we have seen up to a 2X increase in demand for programs this year.

What’s more, today’s professionals—especially younger generations—are seeking ways to contribute their skills, not just their time. That could mean helping a nonprofit with digital strategy, mentoring an entrepreneur on financial planning, or guiding an impact startup through a rebrand. Employees are eager to apply their expertise to causes they care about—and they’re telling their employers they expect those opportunities to exist.

The Win-Win of Skills-Based Volunteering

Skills-based volunteering is exactly what it sounds like: employees donate their professional skills to organizations that need them. It’s purpose in action—and it checks multiple boxes for business, too.

  • Retention: Data shows that employees who engage in purpose programs are 52% less likely to leave. A longitudinal study at one firm showed a 36% decrease in attrition.
  • Development: 90% of companies surveyed by Deloitte say SBV improves employee leadership and soft skills.
  • Engagement: Participating in skills-based projects boosts morale, cross-team collaboration, and overall fulfillment – 91% of companies have realized this benefit.

Major companies are already leading the way. Programs like SAP’s Acceleration Collective show how providing on-demand as well as time-based programs appeal to the needs of a global employee base, create lasting impact for social innovators, and contribute positively to the leadership and career development of employees. Even the CEO participated!

It’s Not Just Good for Business—It’s Good for the World

Skills-based volunteering isn’t just about employee satisfaction or corporate brand value—it drives real, lasting change for the organizations receiving support. According to the Taproot Foundation, over 80% of social sector organizations report needing pro bono help with strategy, tech, and operations, but fewer than 30% are able to access it.

That gap matters. Many nonprofits, social enterprises, and impact startups are doing transformative work, but they’re held back by a lack of capacity in areas like finance, HR, digital marketing, and data management. Skills-based volunteers fill these gaps in high-leverage ways. Common Impact reports that 87% of partner organizations said SBV projects improved their ability to serve their communities, and 68% reported greater operational efficiency as a result.

When companies connect employees with these organizations through well-designed SBV programs, everyone wins: communities get stronger, organizations get smarter, and employees become more connected to their company’s purpose.

What’s Holding Leaders Back?

We understand the hesitation. Proposing anything new in a risk-averse climate can feel daunting. CSR leaders are navigating legal reviews, brand sensitivities, and limited headcount. But the irony is this: the programs designed to play it safe often fail to deliver real value.

Skills-based volunteering isn’t risky—it’s relevant. It’s a low-cost, high-impact solution that speaks to business goals, employee needs, and social progress. And it’s being embraced by companies that are charting bold paths forward, even in uncertain times.

Leading with Purpose, Backed by Strategy

If you’re thinking about how to reignite purpose in your CSR strategy—for your employees, for your leadership team, and for your community partners—skills-based volunteering might just be your smartest next move.

And if you’d like help building and/or scaling a program that works at your global company, MovingWorlds can help.

Let’s move forward—together, with purpose.

Filed Under: CSR, Experteering, Skills Based Volunteering Tagged With: Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, pro bono, skills-based volunteering

How Virtual Skills-Based Volunteering Is Powering Global Social Innovation

March 25, 2025 by Mark Horoszowski

Virtual skills-based volunteering (SBV) – where professionals contribute their expertise to mission-driven organizations – is transforming how support is delivered to social innovators worldwide.

Since the pandemic, virtual SBV has surged, unlocking new possibilities for social enterprises to tap into global talent regardless of geography. At MovingWorlds, we’ve facilitated over 2,500 skills-based projects across 122 countries, delivering more than $51 million in pro bono support to social enterprises. We’ve seen firsthand that virtual volunteering isn’t just a temporary substitute for in-person service — it’s an inclusive and powerful model to create meaningful impact at scale.

In our experience, we see that virtual skills-based volunteers engage in 5 primary functions:

  1. Mentoring
  2. Coaching
  3. Training
  4. Consulting
  5. Quick advice calls

Here’s how virtual SBV is delivering real impact across five powerful roles:


1. Mentors: Sharing Industry Expertise & Insight

Mentors act as trusted guides, sharing years of professional and industry-specific experience with social entrepreneurs. These relationships often take the form of regular check-ins or strategic sounding boards. While the insights are invaluable, it’s the human connection that often leaves the deepest mark.

For example, in SAP’s Acceleration Collective program, employees mentor early-stage social entrepreneurs around the globe, helping them refine their business models, avoid common pitfalls, and connect to markets.

(check out our SAP Skills-Based Volunteering Case Study here.)

“Her support helped me create the strategic connections I needed — we ended up being funded by National Geographic!”
— Social entrepreneur supported through a MovingWorlds mentor match

These mentorships don’t just improve the business — they support the person behind the mission, often helping founders gain confidence to push through moments of doubt or challenge.


2. Coaches: Strengthening Leadership & Teams

Leadership can be isolating, especially in resource-constrained, impact-driven environments. Virtual coaches support social enterprise leaders by helping them reflect, strategize, and grow their leadership capabilities.

Coaches often help changemakers:

  • Clarify priorities and show-up as more effective leaders
  • Strengthen team dynamics and create more collaborate and high-performing environments
  • Improve communication and management styles that improve organization efficiency
  • Work through mental health and isolation challenges

In one success story we just learned about, an employee coach from SAP guided a startup founder in Eastern Europe through defining her vision and fundraising strategy — which led directly to a successful pitch and major funding.

The coaching relationship proved so impactful that the entrepreneur credited it with “giving me the clarity and resolve to pursue a bigger opportunity.“


3. Trainers: Building Skills & Capacity

Capacity-building is at the heart of sustainable development. Virtual volunteers who serve as trainers offer hands-on education to individuals and/or teams in areas like finance, accounting, HR, operations, sales, strategy, as well as with tools like CRMs, AI, Websites, and more.

A recent report from Common Impact shows that skills-based projects improve nonprofit effectiveness by up to 28%. (check out our list of platforms that help manage virtual volunteering at scale).

These engagements aren’t just tactical — they create a multiplier effect. When staff gain new skills, they bring that knowledge back into the organization, train others, and build stronger systems that lower costs and help them scale.


4. Pro Bono Consultants: Driving Strategy & Execution

SBV professionals often act as pro bono consultants, stepping in to solve complex strategic or operational challenges. They may:

  • Support in the development of strategic and operation plans
  • Lend execution support to help deliver programs
  • Help guide the selection and implementation of new tech tools
  • Provide a capacity building boost to teams working to deliver a project on-time
  • Conduct in-depth analysis on current or future challenges and opportunities

In addition to what we see in our own research, other organizations like Taproot Foundation and Common Impact have demonstrated that high-quality consulting can be delivered virtually — with fewer costs and greater reach. In fact, Common Impact found that virtual engagements allow for increased scalability, higher ROI, and reduced logistical barriers.

One example: A volunteer marketing strategist helped 100cameras refine its outreach strategy — which ultimately led to national media coverage on NBC’s Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Special.


5. Advisors: Providing Quick, Targeted Support

Sometimes, the most valuable contribution is a quick call or email — a “flash consulting” session or a warm introduction. Virtual platforms make these easy to coordinate.

Whether it’s a 30-minute call to review a pitch deck, or a recommendation for an industry insider, these quick connects often punch far above their weight. In fact, some social entrepreneurs credit one conversation with unlocking a major growth opportunity.

Through initiatives like SAP’s social procurement program, corporations are also acting as advisors by opening up new markets and supply chain access to social enterprises.

“You won’t know everything, but you are there for the client — and the world.”
— Volunteer advisor through MovingWorlds


The Real Impact: Why It Works

When professionals volunteer their skills virtually, social innovators benefit in multiple ways:

✅ Projects get completed and scaled:
Whether it’s launching a website or building a financial model, virtual SBV brings the right expertise at the right time.

✅ Teams are upskilled and more confident:
Volunteers pass on knowledge that strengthens internal capacity and builds long-term resilience.

✅ Operations improve for the long term:
Strategic support helps organizations implement better systems, enabling growth and efficiency.

✅ Founders feel supported and energized:
The human connection of mentorship, coaching, and collaboration helps sustain the passion needed to keep going.

✅ New markets and opportunities become accessible:
Volunteers often open doors that lead to partnerships, funding, and new customers.


A Win-Win for CSR Programs

It’s not only the social enterprises that benefit — companies see tangible gains, too.

For CSR and HR leaders, virtual SBV is a proven way to:

  • Increase employee engagement and performance
  • Grow cross-cultural collaboration and leadership skills of employees
  • Retain purpose-driven employees
  • Identify innovation and new market opportunities
  • Build brand value by communicating social impact that is aligned with corporate strategy

According to Deloitte, 92% of business leaders agree that volunteering improves employees’ leadership and broader professional skills. MovingWorlds’ partners have echoed this, noting increased employee satisfaction and retention.

(see this ROI calculation proving the awesome return on investment that skills-based volunteering programs provide.)

Virtual programs also expand access to a more diverse group of employees — not just those who can travel. Everyone, from a junior analyst to a seasoned executive, can contribute their skills on their schedule, from anywhere.


The Future Is Hybrid — But Virtual Is Here to Stay

At MovingWorlds, we believe that the future of volunteering is hybrid — blending the immersive value of in-person service with the reach and efficiency of virtual collaboration.

But make no mistake: virtual skills-based volunteering is already changing the world.

If you’re a CSR leader, social innovator, or purpose-driven professional: Virtual SBV isn’t just possible — it’s powerful. And if you need a partner in scaling a global skills-based volunteering program, we’d love to talk to you.

Let’s keep building bridges — across industries, continents, and missions — to create a more equitable and sustainable world.

AI disclaimer: Following our AI Ethics policy, we disclose when we use AI. This post was written with the help of an AI chatbot that we trained with our research, brand voice, and other rules. The content strategy was first written by MovingWorlds, as was an initial list of data. We then used AI to final supplemental research, which we fact checked. We then finished writing the post.

Filed Under: CSR, Experteering, Skills Based Volunteering Tagged With: Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, skills-based volunteering, virtual volunteering

The ROI of Corporate Skills-Based Volunteering (With Examples)

March 18, 2025 by Mark Horoszowski

Skills-based volunteering (SBV) – where employees donate their professional skills to impact organizations – is rapidly growing as a corporate citizenship strategy​. A strong business case underpins this growth: studies worldwide show that SBV drives tangible ROI through improved employee retention, higher performance, and stronger teams​. Below, we explore key impact areas and evidence, followed by an ROI calculation formula and qualitative insights for executive buy-in.

Impact on Employee Recruitment, Retention, and Loyalty

Research consistently links SBV to higher employee loyalty and lower turnover. Retaining talent yields major cost savings, since replacing a single employee can cost 90–200% of their annual salary​. Key findings include:

  • Dramatic Turnover Reductions: Purpose-driven companies experience retention rates up to 40% higher than peers​ according to pointsoflight.org. A 2022 study found 52% lower turnover among new hires who participate in company “purpose” programs (volunteering, CSR)​. Broadly, companies investing in CSR (including volunteering) have cut annual staff turnover by as much as 25–50%​, translating to huge savings in recruitment and training costs. In a Harvard evaluation of one program, 100% of participants said the experience increased their likelihood of staying until they retire at their sponsoring company. Benevity’s engagement study found turnover dropped 57% in employee groups deeply involved in volunteering and giving​.
  • Higher Loyalty: Cone Communications reports 83% of millennials would be more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to social causes​. What is the benefit of loyalty? The more loyal an employee is, the higher they performance, the more effort they put into collaboration, the more they recruit others, and the more likely they are to stay.
  • Lower Recruitment Costs: If SBV improves the company’s employer brand, it can lower recruiting costs. You might quantify this by noting increased referral hires or a higher offer acceptance rates among applicants who value CSR.​ For example, Cone Communications found 64% of Millennials won’t even take a job at a company with poor CSR – meaning a strong SBV program helps attract talent, reducing vacancy times and recruitment expenses (which you can estimate in dollars). 

📈 ROI Implication 📈

Lower and delayed turnover directly adds to ROI by avoiding and delaying replacement costs. As an example, let’s assume an average salary of $95,000 and a replacement cost of 100%, and that volunteering is likely to defer employee departures by an average of 20 months longer than those that do not engage (which we researched). If 100 people participate in an SBV program, you can defer $9,500,000 worth of costs for 20 months. Because of the time value of money, this delay effectively saves the company $1.18 million in today’s dollars (assuming an 8% cost of capital). In other words, by pushing these expenses into the future, the company benefits financially by reducing the present impact of those costs.


Impact on Employee Skills and Performance

Skills-based volunteering doubles as a talent development engine, improving employees’ capabilities, engagement, and productivity. Studies show volunteering employees gain technical and leadership skills that carry over to their jobs​, often leading to better performance:

  • Enhanced Professional Skills: According to Deloitte’s global survey, 92% of business leaders agree that volunteering improves employees’ professional and leadership skills​. In fact, 80% said active volunteers move more easily into leadership roles at work​. SBV projects provide “stretch” experiences – 90% of companies report significant improvement in leadership abilities as a result of pro bono/SBV programs​. For example, UPS’s volunteer ROI study found 23% of participants gained significant job-related skills, with one manager noting it let them demonstrate new organizational and leadership skills on a big project. In our programs at MovingWorlds, over 90% of participants report that they further developed their subject-matter expertise through skills-based volunteering. 
  • Higher Engagement & Productivity: Volunteerism boosts morale and engagement, which correlates with productivity gains. 96% of companies report that employees who volunteer are more engaged at work than those who don’t​. This engagement translates into performance – engaged employees are more productive and invested in their company’s success. A comprehensive review found CSR initiatives can increase employee productivity by up to 13%​. Moreover, company-sponsored volunteering also improves workplace well-being and mood, which can reduce burnout and absenteeism (79% of people report lower stress after volunteering)​. 
  • Mental Health and Presenteeism Boosts: Among 90+ workplace programs studied across 233 organizations, skills-based volunteering was the ONLY intervention that showed positive results for employee well-being. Other interventions like training, events, coaching, mindfulness have ZERO impact in these areas.
  • Measured Performance Improvements: A global study by ESADE found 92% of employees who volunteer through work improve their job performance, as rated by themselves or managers​. The top areas of growth were teamwork (87% improved) and understanding of social/cultural realities (81% improved)​. Communication skills also rose (68%), indicating well-rounded development​. Notably, even hard business metrics can improve: one survey noted companies offering volunteer time see employees with 75% longer tenures and 13% higher performance ratings on average​.

📈 ROI Implication 📈

There are two ways to calculate this:

  1. Cost savings by using volunteering to replace leadership development costs: Leadership development for a comparable learning experience to a skills-based volunteering experience will cost the company an average of $2,500 per employee (according to MovingWorlds surveys). So 100 people participating in a SBV program saves the company $200,000 in leadership development expenses (assuming the cost of volunteering is $500 per person, meaning $2,000 savings per person, multiplied by). 
  2. Revenue growth: We can assume  that the average revenue (productivity) of an employee is $200,000 (conservative estimate based on Fortune 1000 data). If volunteering improves productivity by even 5% for 100 people, that could translate to $1,000,000 in revenue growth. 

Impact on Team Effectiveness and Cross-Cultural Collaboration

Skills-based volunteering often places employees in team-based, cross-cultural environments that improve their collaboration, leadership, and cultural agility. The experience of solving problems together outside the office can significantly enhance team dynamics back at work:

  • Stronger Team Cohesion: Many companies leverage volunteering to build more unified teams. In one international survey, 63% of companies said a primary goal of corporate volunteering is to increase internal team cohesion, and 45% aimed to improve the overall internal climate or culture​. Working toward a meaningful goal helps colleagues bond beyond their usual roles. Deloitte’s research similarly found 70% of employees believe that companies who sponsor volunteer activities have a more pleasant and cooperative work atmosphere​. Employees report stronger relationships and improved teamwork after volunteering together on a project.
  • Leadership and Collaboration in Diverse Settings: SBV programs often immerse employees in unfamiliar, cross-cultural contexts that broaden their perspectives. In practice, volunteers learn to communicate and solve problems with people of different backgrounds, a competency that directly improves cross-department and cross-border teamwork within their companies.
  • Case – Hewlett-Packard (HP) Morale Boost: At HP, employees who engaged in skills-based volunteer projects reported 59% higher morale than non-volunteers, and even 13% higher morale than those doing not skills-based volunteering. Higher morale often leads to better team engagement and cooperation. Additionally, 84% of companies say volunteering aligns employees more strongly with the company’s culture and values​ – a shared sense of purpose that can enhance how teams collaborate and perform.

📈 ROI Implication 📈

While team cohesion and cultural agility are somewhat intangible, they drive better project outcomes and more innovation. Improved teamwork can be seen in higher project success rates and faster problem-solving. For executives, this means SBV helps build high-performing teams that are more adept at collaboration – a competitive advantage, especially for global firms. It’s easier to justify investment in SBV when you connect it to better team performance and leadership pipelines in the company. If 100 employees volunteer, they positively impact their teammates’ collaboration and performance. Even a 1% boost in productivity—assuming each volunteer helps improve the work of 5 colleagues, and each employee generates $200,000 in value—adds up to $1 million in total productivity gains for the company. 


ROI Calculation Formula for SBV Programs

To quantify the return on a skills-based volunteering program, CSR leaders can use a formula that compares the program’s benefits to its costs. A basic ROI equation is:

ROI (%) = ((Total Monetary Benefits) – (Program Costs)) / (Program Costs) × 100%.

In the context of SBV, Total Monetary Benefits can include:

  • Retention Savings: Calculate the number of employees whose retention can be attributed to the volunteering program and multiply by the average replacement cost per employee. Or, as shown above, make assumptions based on lengthened tenure.
    • Example: If 100 employees stay, on average, 20 months longer, assuming $95,000 average salary, 100% cost of replacement, and 8% cost of capital, that is a bottom-line benefit of $1,182,174
  • Productivity Gains: If employee engagement surveys or output metrics show productivity improved (say by 5%) for volunteers, estimate the value of that increased output. 
    • Example: A 5% productivity bump for 100 people who average $200,000 in productivity as measured by revenue per employee, equals a value of $1,000,000
  • Talent Development Value: Consider the cost of training or leadership development that is offset by on-the-job learning through SBV. For instance, leadership training that might cost $2,500 per person can be considered a saving if those skills are gained via volunteering. Similarly, improved skills (communication, project management, etc.) can be linked to performance improvements or reduced errors, which have monetary value.
    • Example: Providing 100 employees a learning and development experience for $500 via a skills-based volunteering experience instead of  $2,500 L&D experience, equals a value of $200,000.

After summing the benefits, divide by the program’s cost (staff time managing the program, opportunity cost of employees’ time, paying a provider to manage the program, software costs, etc.). The result is an ROI ratio or percentage. For instance, if the calculated benefits are $2,432,174 (based on the examples above) and the costs are $500,000, the ROI = ($2,432,174 – $500,000) / $500,000 = 386%. Meaning for every dollar spent, your company will recognize almost $4 in benefits. And if you scale the program up, since many costs are fixed, this ROI story will only improve.

But the financial benefit isn’t the only story to tell.


Qualitative Benefits and Executive Buy-In

While the formula captures quantifiable ROI, it’s crucial to highlight qualitative benefits of skills-based volunteering when making the case to leadership. These programs have transformative effects on employees and culture that numbers alone may not fully convey:

  • Leadership Pipeline and Innovation: SBV programs often turn good employees into exceptional leaders. Participants return with broadened perspectives, creative problem-solving abilities, and renewed passion for their work. In our experience at MovingWorlds, many alumni have advanced into global leadership roles, crediting their volunteer experience for honing their skills. Sharing such success stories of employees who grew via SBV (and drove new innovation or business value for the company) can strongly resonate with executives focused on talent development. As we share in our SAP case study, the leadership benefits of these programs are second to none. 
  • Culture and Values Alignment: Volunteering reinforces a purpose-driven culture. Employees frequently report feeling more connected to the company’s mission after engaging in community service. UPS’s volunteering case study noted that 59% of employees said volunteering was a core component or one of the most positive influences on their overall job satisfaction​. This kind of deep alignment of values can lead to a more motivated, mission-focused workforce. Executives will appreciate how SBV builds a positive employer brand from within – something not easily replicated by competitors.
  • Cross-Cultural Competence and Team Agility: In global companies, having teams that excel at cross-cultural collaboration is a strategic asset. Stories from international volunteering assignments – employees navigating challenges in a foreign country, working with diverse teams – can illustrate growth in cultural intelligence and adaptability. For instance, a Johnson & Johnson global pro bono program study found participants became more adept at leading diverse teams and more committed to the company’s global health vision after their assignments​. Such outcomes improve how teams operate across markets. Paint the picture for executives that SBV is creating employees who are global citizens and ambassadors for the company’s values, which in turn improves global teamwork and market insight.
  • Community and Reputation Impact: Finally, remind leaders that ROI isn’t just internal. High-profile skills-based volunteering initiatives earn public goodwill, media attention, and stakeholder trust. They demonstrate that the company “walks the talk” on social responsibility. This can indirectly lead to customer preference and brand loyalty – difficult to quantify, but extremely valuable. For example, our program with SAP was featured by the World Economic Forum during its annual meeting.

In summary

combining hard numbers with compelling narratives makes the strongest case. Use the quantitative ROI formula to show fiscal alignment – e.g. “Our program delivered a 380% ROI last year, primarily by reducing turnover costs” – and bolster it with qualitative evidence of workforce improvements, team successes, and brand-building moments born from the program. This two-pronged approach addresses the head and the heart: the metrics satisfy the analytical scrutiny, while the human stories and strategic benefits inspire confidence and enthusiasm.

By highlighting global research and concrete case studies alongside a clear ROI model, CSR leaders can persuasively demonstrate that skills-based volunteering is not just a “nice to have” feel-good activity, but a high-impact investment with multifaceted returns for the business and society​ at large.

The CSR trends are clear: even in a tightening economy, companies that embrace SBV are seeing engaged employees, stronger teams, and real bottom-line benefits – positioning themselves for sustainable success in a purpose-driven world.

Ready to translate these proven benefits into real impact at your company? Let’s design a skills-based volunteering program that fuels talent development, strengthens teams, and drives business value—while making a difference in the world. Get in touch with MovingWorlds to explore what’s possible.




AI disclaimer: Following our AI Ethics policy, we disclose when we use AI. This post was written with the help of an AI chatbot that we trained with our research, brand voice, and other rules. The content strategy was first written by MovingWorlds, as was an initial list of data. We then used AI to final supplemental research, which we fact checked. The ROI calculation was developed by a real human at MovingWorlds.

Filed Under: CSR, Skills Based Volunteering Tagged With: Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR

Creating Transformational Virtual Volunteering Programs: A Blueprint for Impact

March 12, 2025 by Mark Horoszowski

A Brief History of Virtual Volunteering

In 1997, Impact Online’s Virtual Volunteering Project launched as the world’s first virtual volunteering initiative (which later become VolunteerMatch). In 2000, the United Nations built on the trend with the launch of its Online Volunteering initiative. Since then, technology has consistently expanded the ways people can engage in meaningful work. The rise of platforms like Skype in the early 2000s enabled volunteers to connect across borders without leaving home, and the 2010s saw an explosion of new solutions—from mentorship platforms like MicroMentor to corporate volunteering solutions like Benevity.

Then came the pandemic.

Almost overnight, virtual volunteering went mainstream, proving that it could be just as effective as in-person, and in some cases, moreso.

Virtual volunteering from Google Trends

While engagement has decreased from its pandemic peak, participation levels remain significantly higher than before. Why? Because companies have realized that when done right, virtual volunteering can drive employee engagement, business innovation, and meaningful impact at a scale not possible with in-person engagements.

But let’s be honest—most virtual volunteering programs fall flat.

Common Pitfall of Virtual Volunteering Programs at Companies

Too often, companies approach virtual volunteering as just another “feel-good” initiative, leading to low engagement from employees and social impact partners alike. Here’s why:

  • Prioritizing “Feel-Good” vs. Real Impact: Many programs focus on participation numbers instead of genuine impact. Employees and nonprofits quickly recognize when a program lacks depth, leading to low return rates.
  • One-Off Events: While hackathons and days of service generate PR buzz, they rarely create lasting change. Employees quickly disengage when they realize these efforts are more about optics than impact.
  • Zoom Fatigue is Real: If virtual volunteering feels like another boring meeting, participation will plummet.
  • Lack of Peer Connections & Social Accountability: Volunteering thrives on human connection. Programs without built-in opportunities for employees to collaborate and share experiences tend to struggle.
  • Mismatch of Interests: Simply taking an in-person project and making it virtual doesn’t work. Employees won’t engage if projects don’t feel relevant or fulfilling.
  • Lack of Manager Support: If leadership doesn’t encourage participation—or worse, if employees feel penalized for taking time to volunteer—the program won’t gain traction.
  • Accountability Gaps: It’s easier to miss, reschedule, or drop out of a virtual commitment than an in-person one.
  • Confidence Gaps: Many employees, even experienced professionals, hesitate to engage because they’re unsure how their corporate skills translate to social impact work.

What Makes a Virtual Volunteering Program Effective?

The best programs aren’t just well-intentioned—they’re strategically aligned with company priorities, employee aspirations, and real community needs. Here’s what successful virtual volunteering programs have in common:

  • Business Strategy Alignment: When virtual volunteering supports HR, operational, and business goals, employees see the direct value of their engagement in terms of their career, and are more likely to engage.
  • CSR Integration: If executives see the program driving measurable impact, they’ll continue to fund and promote it.
  • Employee Preferences: Professionals can find the causes and projects that align with their skills and interests, but that are still aligned with business and CSR goals.
  • Employee development: By making volunteer programs more accessible, they can help more professionals access them and grow through the experience.
  • Real Organizational Impact: Social impact organizations must view the program as a true value-add that helps them grow in a way that is responsive to their actual needs, not just a corporate checkbox activity.
  • Global Relevance: Aligning projects with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ensures that efforts contribute to meaningful global change.

Making Virtual Volunteering Transformational for Employees

A CSR leader at a major computer hardware company recently told us, “Employees don’t want to do as volunteers what they already do at work.” But our data—and extensive research from independent institutions—prove otherwise. Employees do want to use their professional skills, but only when it aligns with their motivations.

We call these motivations the 4 Ps:

  1. Purpose: Employees want to know that their skills contribute to something bigger than corporate profits.
  2. Passion: They want to make a difference in areas they care about.
  3. Professional Growth: Stretch projects in new environments help employees build leadership skills, confidence, and adaptability.
  4. Personal Enrichment: Volunteering fosters social connections, broadens perspectives, and enhances well-being.

When companies design programs that tap into these motivations, participation and impact soar.

Our data not only shows growing demand from employees, but also satisfaction and impact scores that rival, and in some cases surpass, in-person volunteering.

Scaling Virtual Volunteering with the Right Model and Tools

To maximize engagement and impact, companies need the right model, and the right infrastructure. When we say model, we mean:

  1. Find meaningful skills-based projects that will truly help impact organizations (do NOT try and invent projects to just make your volunteers feel good).
  2. Provide guidance to employees to help them feel confident and capable in supporting social good (strangely, even really experienced professionals may feel “imposter syndrome” when trying to apply their skills in unique environments).
  3. Build executive and manager buy-in so that employees know they are truly encouraged to engage (in a tightening economic climate with uncertainty, people pull back from activities that might be considered non-essential).
  4. Support learning through the experience by providing education, space for reflection, and opportunities to connect with peers (doing so will also help create more accountability and completion).
  5. Celebrate milestones and completions by publicly recognizing volunteers AND the impact organizations for their partnership (and try to do so in front of company managers and executives, too).
  6. Tie experiences back to the business by encouraging employees to share insights with teams, share stories with sales and HR teams, and report on business drivers to executives.

As it relates to the right tools, there are many platforms available to scale skills-based volunteering—some focus on project matchmaking, while others provide holistic program management. We’ve reviewed the top options in a previous post comparing the top CSR volunteer software, but before investing in software, companies should solidify their strategy.

For those looking for a more customized approach, consulting firms like RealizedWorth can help build a strategy tailored to their business needs.

The Future of Virtual Volunteering: A Call to Action

Virtual volunteering isn’t just a passing trend—it’s a powerful tool for business innovation, employee engagement, and global impact. But to be successful, companies must move beyond surface-level initiatives and invest in programs that align with their values, employees’ motivations, and real community needs.

So, what’s your next step? Start small, design for impact, and prioritize long-term engagement. Whether you’re launching a new initiative or revamping an existing one, making virtual volunteering meaningful will benefit your employees, your company, and the world.

Want to learn more about scaling a virtual volunteering program that employees love? Learn more about MovingWorlds CSR platform here.




AI disclaimer: Following our AI Ethics policy, we disclose when we use AI. This post was written with the help of an AI chatbot that we trained with our research, brand voice, and other rules. The content strategy was first written by MovingWorlds, inputted into AI with instructions to match our brand voice and readability, and then the post was refined by a real human.

Filed Under: CSR Tagged With: Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR

The Best CSR Skills-Based Volunteering Software for Employee Engagement & Social Impact

March 5, 2025 by Mark Horoszowski

Technology plays a crucial role in making skills-based volunteering programs seamless, scalable, and impactful. The right platform can help match employees at scale with meaningful opportunities, track impact, and ensure alignment with business goals.

In an era where CSR programs are under increased pressure to appeal to employees while also being under intense scrutiny to provide business value, the right software is key to achieving both (see our CSR trends for 2025). However, most software still represents outdated volunteering models.

Key Features of an Effective Corporate Skills-Based Volunteering Platform

When evaluating corporate volunteering software, companies should prioritize platforms that offer:

  • Global Accessibility & Scalability: Can employees from different regions participate easily?
  • High-Impact Matching: Does the platform connect employees with skills-based opportunities that align with their expertise?
  • Employee Engagement & Professional Development: Does it help employees apply and develop their skills through volunteering?
  • Organization Engagement and Support: Is it easy and rewarding for social impact organizations to participate?
  • Guided Matching and Accountability: Does it encourage employees to stay engaged in their volunteering commitments?
  • Integration with CSR and Business Goals: Can it link with leadership development, learning, and sustainability initiatives?
  • Real Impact Measurement & Reporting: Does it track engagement, business impact, and social outcomes?
  • Customer Service Support Beyond Software: Does it provide program management, education, and storytelling tools?
  • Community and Inspiration: Does it foster a culture of purpose and make volunteering a fulfilling experience?


How to Choose the Best Corporate Volunteering Platform for Your Company

Before evaluating platforms, companies should clearly define their goals and needs. We recommend taking these three steps:

Step 1: Build a decision committee and set a strategy

Bring together a trusted group of company stakeholders, and go through all the questions above. Decide what is important, and what is not. Then, decide the criteria you need the right software to have. Do this BEFORE analyzing the software. Creating a rubric based on the key features above will help determine the best fit. By starting with internal priorities, CSR leaders can ensure they select a platform that truly aligns with their objectives rather than being swayed by generic solutions.

Step 2: Compare options

With your list of criteria, analyze the software providers below to see who has the right solution for you. In sales calls, be clear that you want the provider to clearly demonstrate how their software meets YOUR criteria. You should run this show, and be wary if a provider tries to steer you away from your strategy.

Step 3: Make a choice

Keep in mind that you may need multiple providers. As an example, many companies will use a platform like Benevity or YourCause for global volunteer tracking and donation management, and then a specialized platform like MovingWorlds to scale skills-based volunteering. 

(Need help growing your CSR budget? Here are tips.)


Top Software Platforms for Corporate Skills-Based Volunteering: Pros & Cons

1. Benevity

✅ Pros:

  • Robust corporate philanthropy and grant management features
  • Easy-to-use employee giving and volunteering portal
  • Integrates with HR and payroll systems 

❌ Cons:

  • Primarily focused on general volunteering, not skills-based programs
  • Limited professional development features

2. Blackbaud from YourCause

✅ Pros:

  • Strong in donation matching and nonprofit grantmaking
  • Customizable dashboards for impact tracking 

❌ Cons:

  • More focused on fundraising than skills-based volunteering
  • Complex implementation process

3. Goodera

✅ Pros:

  • Offers both virtual and in-person volunteering opportunities
  • Large database of causes and nonprofits 

❌ Cons:

  • Primarily event-driven, not long-term skills-based projects
  • Not focused on skills-based
  • Requires additional effort to engage employees consistently

4. A Home-Built Custom Solution

✅ Pros:

  • Fully customized to company needs
  • Direct integration with internal corporate systems 

❌ Cons:

  • Expensive and resource-intensive to develop and maintain
  • Limited network of volunteering opportunities

5. Catchafire

✅ Pros:

  • Strong database of nonprofits seeking skilled volunteers
  • Focuses on meaningful, skills-based projects 

❌ Cons:

  • No built-in corporate program management features
  • Limited global accessibility

6. Taproot+

✅ Pros:

  • Free to use for individuals and companies
  • Flexible skills-based volunteering options 

❌ Cons:

  • No dedicated corporate account management
  • Limited impact tracking features

7. MovingWorlds

✅ Pros:

  • Global accessibility with skills-based projects in over 100 countries
  • Integrated learning and leadership development programming and education
  • Comprehensive program support including matching, coaching, management, and reporting 

❌ Cons:

  • Primarily focused on skills-based volunteering, which may not suit companies looking for one-time events
  • Limited in-person opportunities

Conclusion: Making Volunteering a Catalyst for Corporate & Social Change

The best corporate volunteering platforms go beyond simple project matching—they ensure meaningful experiences and measurable impact. Selecting the right platform can transform corporate volunteering from an occasional initiative into a powerful driver of innovation, engagement, and social good.

Ready to take the next step? Choose a platform that aligns with your goals and start building a high-impact volunteering program today. And if you’re interested in MovingWorlds, learn more and schedule a demo here.


AI disclaimer: Following our AI Ethics policy, we disclose when we use AI. This post was written with the help of an AI chatbot that we trained with our research, brand voice, and other rules. The content strategy was first written by MovingWorlds, inputted into AI with instructions to match our brand voice and readability, and then the post was proof-read by a real human.

Filed Under: CSR, Skills Based Volunteering Tagged With: Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR

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